[thechat] Hiding from Elections Now

John Handelaar john at userfrenzy.com
Sun Oct 26 12:27:26 CDT 2008


2008/10/26 Roger Austin <raustin3 at nc.rr.com>:
> How do
> you outside the US view this? Are your political ads as vile?

The UK and Ireland both have blanket bans on political TV adverts, and
draconian restrictions on campaign spending (in Britain, for example,
a candidate for MP is restricted to about £7500 during the period
between the election being called and polling day).  Third-party
election campaign spending designed to impact a particular
constituency race is a criminal offence.

We look at the US with some degree of horror and smugness, then.

Plus both countries can, and almost always do, hold elections on dates
before the last day required by law at a time set by the incumbent
government - which cuts the campaign to 3-6 weeks.  That restricts
even (far less restricted) national campaign spending as well.

There is some TV activity, governed by a rigid legal framework, and
carried by obligation on terrestrial broadcasters and national radio
stations:

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_election_broadcast


jh



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